Overhaul of criminal laws: Former CBI official makes presentation to parliamentary panel on 3 bills

Former CBI special director Praveen Sinha on Monday made a detailed presentation to a parliamentary panel on the three bills introduced in Lok Sabha to overhaul the colonial-era criminal laws of the country.

Sinha made the presentation to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs comparing the colonial-era laws with the changes proposed in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023; the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023; and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 that were introduced by the government on the last day of the Monsoon session.

The presentation lasted over 90 minutes with members of the panel, chaired by BJP member Brij Lal, seeking clarifications from Sinha on various aspects of the three bills, which were referred to the parliamentary committee.

Padmini Singh, Joint Secretary in the Department of Legal Affairs, and Anupama Nilekar Chandra, Additional Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development, also made presentations on the three bills before the parliamentary committee.

The committee is scheduled to hear submissions from Vikram Singh, former director general of police of Uttar Pradesh, Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof Naveen Chaudhary of National Forensics Sciences University and senior advocate Sonia Mathur on Tuesday.